Riley Holloway: spectrum

July 5 - August 25, 2018

Fort Works Art is pleased to announce Spectrum, the return of Riley Holloway for his second Solo Exhibition with the gallery. His first exhibition, The People I’ve Come to Know in 2016, was about just that. Consisting of 27 large-scaled paintings, the artist was hand selected by gallerist Lauren Childs as the sole artist she wanted to open her brick-and-mortar gallery with. The show was a massive success and propelled Holloway onto the scene. He followed that success with multiple showings and a feature in Miami during SCOPE 2016 during Art Basel.

Spectrum will feature Holloway’s latest works from the last 6 months, where he studies and explores the spectrum of portraiture while engaging in new techniques. The collection of work is cohesive in size and includes oil paintings and framed sketches. To contrast his earlier works Holloway will showcase an increased use of the palette knife as it pertains to his painting style. By focusing on the composition and design aspects of the works and his dramatic use of light, his portraits embody the stories and experiences that make up his subjects. He depicts friends and family, including his Uncle Babe who can be spotted sleeping in many of Riley’s paintings and studies. These figures resonate. They resonate because they are authentic. Holloway is simply painting what he sees and what he knows. This coupled with his incredible technique bring forth works that are not only relatable but significant and powerful.

Holloway is best known for his dynamic work and fresh look at figurative art. His images are often accompanied by text and other personal references embedded within the work. Holloway uses a bold painterly technique to create depth within the portraits. There is a softness he translates accompanied with his wild markings. This is seen with his utilization of charcoal and hand drawing, in conjunction with his ability to control and manipulate oils in a traditional process. There is also a wonderful counterbalance of roughness and masculinity seen in the works. This is accomplished with his utilization of the “unfinished” aspects of the image and the rawness and utilitarian nature of many of the panels, gessoes and nails he works upon.

In 2014, Holloway joined forces with Fort Works Art and has been a featured artist in many of their exhibitions to date. Consistently creating new work during this time, Holloway has compiled a staggering body of material within the last two years.